Ok, I know that decluttering might not, at first glance, fall into the going green or saving money categories, which are the two primary focuses of this blog (along with “being happy”). But if you think about it for just a sec, it really does cover all three.First, decluttering is green because the less you have, the smaller space you need to store it. And the less resources you have to use to heat, cool and maintain that extra space.

Do you have an emergency pantry?Most people have one on some level or another. But I think the large majority of people, including myself, don’t give their emergency pantry much thought or planning.I’m definitely not the type to be all “doom and gloom”, or give in to irrational fears that the economy is going to implode suddenly or that we’ll be under imminent attack from alien robots from outer space.But.

Chestnuts, courtesy WikipediaOk, so I know that title might make it sound like we’re heading off to survival camp in the woods. But the fact is that unless you live in the Southwest, you can pick free, healthy food up off the ground this this time of year.Nuts are chock full of healthy fats and protein, and from August through October/November they just start falling off the trees, waiting to be picked up.

Did you know that Americans work 50% more than people in France, Italy and Germany?We also get dramatically less vacation time; Western Europeans get, on average, 2 months of vacation time per year. Here in America, we’re lucky if we get 2 weeks.What gives? Why are so many of us addicted to work?

Every time Back to School rolls around, I’m torn.On the one hand, Back to School signals the slow, steady decline of summer.On the other hand, I love pencils and rulers and crayons and notebooks, and I take a real pleasure just walking into Target to watch all the kids buying supplies to go back to school.And of course, there’s always that slight longing that I could be one of them again, if only for that first day back in the classroom.

WWII-era posterWhen my grandmother was my age, she had a lot more responsibilities than I do.For one thing, she had 4 kids. And she was not only responsible for cooking for her family, but also for the field hands that my grandfather employed on their farm. They usually got breakfast and lunch as part of their pay.On an average day, this means she cooked for 4 kids, and 4-6 adults.

Well, it’s finally peach season here in Michigan. Whoo-hoo! When I went to Farmer’s Market on Sunday I could smell peaches everywhere. They were luscious and sweet, and I couldn’t resist buying a bunch for peach jam.Peach jam is a summertime favorite, and it’s a great way to take advantage of sweet, cheap peaches. I made up this batch yesterday, and I couldn’t believe how easy it was.Important Note:1. Removing Peach Skins

Welcome back, again, to my Traveling on the Cheap Series! Some amazing murals in San FranciscoIf you’ve missed previous posts, here’s links to catch up:

This time of year, a lot of people are traveling. Some people are going a few hours away by car. Others are hopping on a plane to head halfway around the world.I’m pretty good about saving money. But, I do have a major spending vice: travel. I was born with a gypsy heart, and if I go too long without a trip I start to get really restless. So, we travel quite a bit.

A few days ago, WalletPop posted an interesting article about buying generics. It was a “Top 10″ list of things you should think about buying generic.
The article had some great suggestions in there, and it certainly got me thinking. What do I always buy generic? And what do I refuse to buy generic because I don’t want to skimp on flavor?